


figure it out

by phillipAsoo



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Apologies, Brotherly Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Protective Louie Duck, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, i do this thing where i write from like a hovering third person pov and its kinda weird sorry, im tired of it too trust me, my brain creates scenes like its an episode and thats why i exclusively write dialogue ajkhgsjak, non-binary dewey duck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:53:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phillipAsoo/pseuds/phillipAsoo
Summary: della keeps accidentally misgendering dewey and louie's had enough of it.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 124





	figure it out

“Goodnight, boys!” Della sang out happily. She switched off the lights and closed the door softly behind her.

All three kids, who were all very much awake, sat in their respective beds in the darkness. A heavy silence blanketed the room.

“It’s fine,” Dewey said after a long pause. “It was an accident. It’s fine.”

“No.” Louie gripped his blankets angrily. “No, Dewey.”

“She just needs some time to get it right.”

“Louie, don’t press it,” Huey piped up from above both his siblings. He sounded tired.

Louie glared furiously into the dark at nothing in particular. “She can’t keep misgendering you. She can’t keep calling us _boys_.”

“She’ll figure it out. It’s _fine_ ,” Dewey repeated. Frustration was evident in their voice.

“It’s _not fine_ ,” Louie said forcefully, shoving his blankets off of his body and sitting up straight in bed. “It’s not fine, Dew. Not when it hurts you every time she says it. I _know_ you, and I _know_ it affects you, and I’m _tired_ of her misgendering you!”

Dewey was quiet.

“Louie, let it go for now,” Huey said after a beat. “Just sleep, okay?”

“No,” Louie said. He jumped off his bed and stalked to the door. “I’m going to talk to her.”

“Louie, _no_ ,” Dewey said suddenly. They sat up straight. “Stop! I said it was fine!”

“Louie,” Huey said warningly.

Louie turned around and stared down his sibling in the middle bunk. “Dew, I know you idolize her or whatever, but she can’t keep calling you a boy. It literally hurts you. You came out to her weeks ago and she still can’t get it right and I’m not going to sit back and watch her repeatedly do this to you, okay? I’ll be right back.”

He opened the door and light from the hallway leaked into their dark room.

Huey sat up. “Louie!”

“Louie, _wait_ ,” Dewey said with force. “Stop. I’ll talk to her tomorrow, okay? Just please, go back to bed. Please.”

Louie paused. “You’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

“ _Yes_. Now lay back down, dummy.”

Louie stood in the doorway for a moment longer, thinking. Then, having made his decision, he closed the door in front of him, padded back to his bed, and climbed back under the covers.

“Goodnight,” Huey said warily.

Louie’s head hit his pillow. Silence fell over the three again.

Eventually, Dewey’s soft snores were heard from above Louie’s bunk. The younger duck checked his phone for the time -- 9:35 PM.

Quietly, Louie slid off his bed and tiptoed across the room. He opened the door as quietly as possible and slipped through, shutting it behind him.

He rubbed his eyes in the bright hallway light, adjusting, and then made his way down the hall to the staircase. Della would definitely still be downstairs.

And sure enough, Louie found her in the sitting room, on the sofa with an old book in her lap. She looked exhausted.

“Mom,” Louie said from the entryway. Della jumped a little and looked up.

“Louie?" She looked surprised to see him. "Is everything okay, hon?”

Louie walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. “Actually, I wanted to say something to you.”

Della didn’t reply, just stared at him curiously.

Louie looked her in the eye. “You keep misgendering Dewey,” he said. “And it really upsets them.”

Clarity dawned on Della’s face. “Oh, no,” she said sadly.

“They don’t want to keep correcting you,” Louie continued, “because they don’t want to make you upset. They think you’re the coolest mom in the world.” He hesitated. “I mean, you _are_ the coolest mom in the world,” Louie quickly revised.

“Not when I misgender my kid,” she said, furrowing her brows. She stared off at some point behind Louie.

Louie watched his mother carefully. He didn’t have the immediate connection with her that his triplets did, but he understood why they loved her so much, or at least he thought he did. Something about being around her made Louie feel fuzzy inside. He wanted that connection. It’d happen, right?

“I’m so sorry,” Della said eventually. She spoke softly. “Though I guess my apology is meant for Dewey. I should talk to them.”

“No,” Louie said quickly. Della stared at him, a question written all over her face. Louie looked down and fiddled with the sleeve of his nightshirt. “They didn’t want me to say anything. Just… maybe don’t call us ‘boys’ anymore. And, obviously, use Dew’s correct pronouns. That would be enough, I think.”

Della nodded immediately. “Of course.”

Louie was satisfied with that. He nodded back.

They both paused. Della looked at Louie thoughtfully. “You’re a good brother,” she said. “Huey and Dewey are lucky kids.”

A little heat flooded Louie’s cheeks.

Fuzzy feeling. Mom.

“Um, just… before I go back upstairs,” he said awkwardly. “Could I… could I have a hug?”

He glanced up from his sleeve to see Della smiling softly at him. “Of course,” she said gently.

Louie crawled over and Della wrapped her arms around him. He dug his face into her shoulder.

Della squeezed him tightly. “I’m always here to give you a hug,” she said, voice laced with emotion. “Okay?”

Louie pulled back. “Thanks,” he said quietly.

Della kissed the top of his forehead. “You’re very welcome.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! i super duper appreciate it uwu :^) as always if you have any headcanons or short fic ideas i'll happily take them! give me all your fluffy duck hcs <333
> 
> (come chat to me on tumblr - @louyd! <3)


End file.
